Electric Apparatus

Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-053931, filed on Mar. 28, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to an electric apparatus.

In recent years, in order to ensure that more people have access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and advanced energy, research and development relating to charging and electric power supply in a mobility on which a secondary battery is mounted, which contributes to energy efficiency, has been conducted.

In the related art, for example, a control device is known which heats a battery by a d-axis current value in a vector control of a travel motor when a vehicle is stopped (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2012-165526).

Further, for example, a control device is known in which electric power supply is performed so as to generate a torque in an opposite direction to each other in two motors connected to a common power transmission gear, and thereby, the two motors are warmed up (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2016-178842).

In the technique relating to charging and electric power supply in a mobility on which a secondary battery is mounted, it is a problem to improve energy efficiency while preventing a device configuration from becoming complicated. For example, as in the control device of the related art described above, when each of an electric power storage device and an electric motor is independently heated by different methods from each other, the control of the heating becomes complicated, and there is a possibility that it is impossible to perform a cooperative control, and it is impossible to appropriately set the temperatures of both the electric power storage device and the electric motor.

The present application aims at achieving an improvement of efficiency while preventing a control at the time of warm-up from becoming complicated. Further, the present application contributes to energy efficiency.

An electric apparatus (for example, an electric apparatusin the embodiment) according to a first aspect of the present invention includes: an electric power storage device (for example, an electric power storage devicein the embodiment); a rotary electric machine (for example, a rotary electric machine(M) in the embodiment) having a plurality of coils (for example, an α-phase first coil(α1), an α-phase second coil(α2), a β-phase first coil(β1), and a β-phase second coil(β2) in the embodiment); an electric power control unit (for example, an electric power control unitin the embodiment) that is connected to the electric power storage device and the rotary electric machine and controls electric power transfer of each of the electric power storage device and the rotary electric machine; a first temperature acquisition portion (for example, a battery temperature sensorin the embodiment) that acquires the temperature of the electric power storage device; and a second temperature acquisition portion (for example, a motor temperature sensorin the embodiment) that acquires the temperature of the rotary electric machine, wherein by controlling electric power supply of the plurality of coils in accordance with each temperature acquired by the first temperature acquisition portion and the second temperature acquisition portion, the electric power control unit switches between and performs a first mode in which a heat generation amount of the electric power storage device is larger than a heat generation amount of the rotary electric machine and a second mode in which a heat generation amount of the electric power storage device is smaller than the heat generation amount of the electric power storage device in the first mode.

A second aspect is the electric apparatus according to the first aspect described above, wherein the rotary electric machine may include a stator core (for example, a stator corein the embodiment) on which a slot (for example, a slotin the embodiment) is formed, the plurality of coils may include: a plurality of first coils (for example, the α-phase first coil(α1) and the α-phase second coil(α2) in the embodiment) that share the slot (for example, the slotin the embodiment) of the stator core and are magnetically coupled; and a plurality of second coils (for example, the β-phase first coil(β1) and the β-phase second coil(β2) in the embodiment) that share the slot (for example, the slotin the embodiment) of the stator core and are magnetically coupled, the electric power control unit may include: a plurality of first full-bridge circuits (for example, a first full-bridge circuitand a second full-bridge circuitin the embodiment) connected to the plurality of first coils; and a plurality of second full-bridge circuits (for example, a third full-bridge circuitand a fourth full-bridge circuitin the embodiment) connected to the plurality of second coils, a switching phase of each of the plurality of first full-bridge circuits and the plurality of second full-bridge circuits may be in a reverse phase in the first mode, and the switching phase of each of the plurality of first full-bridge circuits and the plurality of second full-bridge circuits may be in phase in the second mode.

A third aspect is the electric apparatus according to the second aspect described above, wherein spatial phases of the plurality of first coils and the plurality of second coils may be orthogonal to each other, the plurality of first coils and the plurality of second coils may be open-ended, the electric power control unit may set a phase difference between the switching phase of the plurality of first full-bridge circuits and the switching phase of the plurality of second full-bridge circuits to be 90° in accordance with each temperature acquired by the first temperature acquisition portion and the second temperature acquisition portion.

A fourth aspect is the electric apparatus according to the first aspect described above, wherein the rotary electric machine may include a stator core (for example, a stator corein the embodiment) on which a slot (for example, a slotin the embodiment) is formed, the plurality of coils may include: a plurality of first coils (for example, the α-phase first coil(α1) and the α-phase second coil(α2) in the embodiment) that share the slot (for example, the slotin the embodiment) of the stator core and are magnetically coupled; and a plurality of second coils (for example, the β-phase first coil(β1) and the β-phase second coil(β2) in the embodiment) that share the slot (for example, the slotin the embodiment) of the stator core and are magnetically coupled, the electric power control unit may include: a plurality of first full-bridge circuits (for example, a first full-bridge circuitand a second full-bridge circuitin the embodiment) that are connected to the plurality of first coils; an inter-coil connection-disconnection device (for example, a first switchin the embodiment) that is connected between the plurality of first coils; two connection-disconnection devices (for example, a first connection-disconnection deviceand a second connection-disconnection devicein the embodiment) that are connected between positive electrodes and between negative electrodes of the plurality of first full-bridge circuits; and a plurality of second full-bridge circuits (for example, a third full-bridge circuitand a fourth full-bridge circuitin the embodiment) that are connected to the plurality of second coils, a switching phase of each of the plurality of first full-bridge circuits and the plurality of second full-bridge circuits may be in a reverse phase in the first mode, and in the second mode, conversion between DC electric power may be performed by the plurality of first full-bridge circuits by causing the inter-coil connection-disconnection device to be in a connection state, causing a first connection-disconnection device (for example, the first connection-disconnection devicein the embodiment) of the two connection-disconnection devices to be in a disconnection state, and causing a second connection-disconnection device (for example, the second connection-disconnection devicein the embodiment) of the two connection-disconnection devices to be in a connection state.

According to the first aspect described above, by switching between and performing the first mode and the second mode in accordance with the temperature of each of the electric power storage device and the rotary electric machine, for example, even when the difference between the temperature of the electric power storage device and the temperature of the rotary electric machine is large or the like, it is possible to appropriately control the temperature of each of the electric power storage device and the rotary electric machine.

In the case of the second aspect described above, by the switching between the reverse-phase state and the in-phase state of the switching phase, it is possible to reciprocally switch the magnitude of an iron loss corresponding to an inductance and the magnitude of a current or the magnitude of a current ripple corresponding to the inductance. For example, it is possible to easily adjust the relative amount of the heating of the electric power storage device by the current ripple or the current and the heating of the rotary electric machine by the iron loss, and it is possible to realize power saving.

In the case of the third aspect described above, it is possible to reduce the amplitude of a current that flows through the electric power storage device, and the relative amount of the heating of the electric power storage device and the heating of the rotary electric machine can be adjusted in more detail.

In the case of the fourth aspect described above, in the second mode, for example, as compared with the case where the switching phase is in phase or the like, it is possible to reduce the amplitude of a current that flows through the electric power storage device, and it is possible to prioritize the heating of the rotary electric machine with further power saving.

Hereinafter, an electric apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

is a view showing the configuration of an electric apparatusof an embodiment.is a configuration view of each full-bridge circuit,,,and a rotary electric machinein the electric apparatusof the embodiment.

The electric apparatusof the embodiment is mounted, for example, on an electric vehicle, an electric movable body, an electric machine, an electric power source device, and the like. The electric vehicle is, for example, an electric automobile that includes a rotary electric machine as a power source, a saddle riding vehicle, a kick skater, a hybrid vehicle by a combination of a rotary electric machine and an internal combustion engine, a fuel cell vehicle by a combination of an electric power storage device and a fuel cell, and the like. The electric movable body is, for example, a robot, a flying vehicle, a movable body on water, an underwater movable body, and the like.

The electric machine is, for example, a construction machine that includes a rotary electric machine as a power source and the like. The electric power source device is, for example, a stationary or mobile electric power source device that performs discharging and charging of an electric power storage device and the like.

As shown inand, the electric apparatusof the embodiment includes, for example, an electric power storage device, a first electric power conversion portion, a second electric power conversion portion, a DC electric power source connection portion, an AC electric power source connection portion, a rotary electric machine(M), a gate drive unit, and an electronic control unit. For example, the first electric power conversion portion, the second electric power conversion portion, the DC electric power source connection portion, the AC electric power source connection portion, the gate drive unit, and the electronic control unitconstitute an electric power control unit

The electric power storage deviceis connected to the first electric power conversion portionand the second electric power conversion portiondescribed later.

The electric power storage deviceincludes, for example, a plurality of battery cells that are connected in series or in parallel. Each battery cell is, for example, a lead storage battery, a lithium-ion battery, a secondary battery such as a nickel hydride battery and an all-solid-state battery, a capacitor such as an electric double layer capacitor, a compound battery by a combination of a secondary battery and a capacitor, or the like. Each battery cell repeatedly performs charging and discharging. The electric power storage devicetransfers electric power to and from the rotary electric machinevia the electric power control unit. The electric power storage deviceis charged by an external electric power source (an external DC electric power source and an external AC electric power source).

The first electric power conversion portionincludes a first full-bridge circuitand a second full-bridge circuit

Each of the first full-bridge circuitand the second full-bridge circuitincludes, for example, a so-called H-bridge circuit formed of a plurality of switching elements connected in two phases by bridge connection. Each switching element is, for example, a transistor of a SiC (Silicon Carbide) or the like, such as a MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semi-conductor Field Effect Transistor) or an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor). Each switching element is, for example, an N-channel type MOSFET.

The plurality of switching elements are, for example, a pair of transistors forming each of high-side arm and low-side arm element portions,that form a pair in each phase. Each pair of transistors of each element portion,is a pair of transistors that are connected, for example, in parallel.

Each full-bridge circuit,may include, for example, a rectifier element such as a reflux diode which is connected in parallel between a collector and an emitter of each transistor in a forward direction toward the collector from the emitter.

The first electric power conversion portionincludes, for example, a first switch(inter-coil connection-disconnection device) that is connected between neutral points Q2, Q3 of the first full-bridge circuitand the second full-bridge circuit. The neutral point Q2 of the first full-bridge circuitis, for example, a connection point between a high-side arm element portion(a2H) and a low-side arm element portion(a2L) that are connected in series in a second phase among first and second phases of two phases of the first full-bridge circuit. For example, the neutral point Q2 is a connection point between a source of the high-side arm element portion(a2H) and a drain of the low-side arm element portion(a2L). The neutral point Q3 of the second full-bridge circuitis, for example, a connection point between a high-side arm element portion(a3H) and a low-side arm element portion(a3L) that are connected in series in a first phase among first and second phases of two phases of the second full-bridge circuit. For example, the neutral point Q3 is a connection point between a source of the high-side arm element portion(a3H) and a drain of the low-side arm element portion(a3L).

The first switchis, for example, a bidirectional switch formed of two switching elements. Each switching element is a transistor such as a MOSFET or an IGBT and is, for example, an N-channel type MOSFET. The first switchincludes, for example, two transistors connected reversely in series. For example, the sources of the two transistors are connected to each other, and thereby, the two transistors are connected in series in a direction opposite to each other. The first switchswitches conduction and cutoff of a current between the neutral points Q2, Q3 by ON (conduction)/OFF (cutoff) of the two transistors.

Each transistor may include a rectifier element such as a reflux diode which is connected in parallel between a collector and an emitter in a forward direction toward the collector from the emitter.

The first electric power conversion portionis connected to an α-phase first coil(α1) and an α-phase second coil(α2) of the rotary electric machinedescribed later. The α-phase first coilis connected between neutral points Q1, Q2 of the first full-bridge circuit. The α-phase second coil(α2) is connected between neutral points Q3, Q4 of the second full-bridge circuit. The neutral point Q1 of the first full-bridge circuitis, for example, a connection point between a high-side arm element portion(a1H) and a low-side arm element portion(a1L) that are connected in series in the first phase of the first full-bridge circuit. For example, the neutral point Q1 is a connection point between a source of the high-side arm element portion(a1H) and a drain of the low-side arm element portion(a1L). The neutral point Q4 of the second full-bridge circuitis, for example, a connection point between a high-side arm element portion(a4H) and a low-side arm element portion(a4L) that are connected in series in the second phase of the second full-bridge circuit. For example, the neutral point Q4 is a connection point between a source of the high-side arm element portion(a4H) and a drain of the low-side arm element portion(a4L).

The first electric power conversion portionincludes a first connection-disconnection deviceconnected between positive electrodes of the first full-bridge circuitand the second full-bridge circuitand a second connection-disconnection deviceconnected between negative electrodes of the first full-bridge circuitand the second full-bridge circuit

Each of the first connection-disconnection deviceand the second connection-disconnection deviceis, for example, a contactor and switches between ON (conduction) and OFF (cutoff) of the connection between the first full-bridge circuitand the second full-bridge circuit

The first electric power conversion portionincludes, for example, a capacitor (condenser)connected between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. For example, the capacitorsmooths voltage variation generated in accordance with a switching operation between ON (conduction) and OFF (cutoff) of each switching element of the first electric power conversion portion.

The first electric power conversion portionincludes, for example, a first current sensorarranged between the α-phase first coil(α1) and the neutral point Q2, a second current sensorarranged between the α-phase second coil(α2) and the neutral point Q4, and a third current sensorarranged between the electric power storage deviceand the first electric power conversion portion.

For example, the first current sensordetects a current that flows through the α-phase first coil(α1). The second current sensordetects a current that flows through the α-phase second coil(α2).

The third current sensordetects a current that flows between the first electric power conversion portionand the electric power storage device.

The second electric power conversion portionincludes a third full-bridge circuitand a fourth full-bridge circuit

Each of the third full-bridge circuitand the fourth full-bridge circuitincludes, for example, a so-called H-bridge circuit formed of a plurality of switching elements connected in two phases by bridge connection. Each switching element is, for example, a transistor of a SiC or the like, such as a MOSFET or an IGBT. Each switching element is, for example, an N-channel type MOSFET.

The plurality of switching elements are, for example, a pair of transistors forming each of high-side arm and low-side arm element portions,that form a pair in each phase. Each pair of transistors of each element portion,are connected, for example, in parallel.

Each full-bridge circuit,may include, for example, a rectifier element such as a reflux diode which is connected in parallel between a collector and an emitter of each transistor in a forward direction toward the collector from the emitter.

The second electric power conversion portionincludes, for example, a second switchconnected between neutral points R2, R3 of the third full-bridge circuitand the fourth full-bridge circuit. The neutral point R2 of the third full-bridge circuitis, for example, a connection point between a high-side arm element portion(b2H) and a low-side arm element portion(b2L) that are connected in series in a second phase among first and second phases of two phases of the third full-bridge circuit. For example, the neutral point R2 is a connection point between a source of the high-side arm element portion(b2H) and a drain of the low-side arm element portion(b2L). The neutral point R3 of the fourth full-bridge circuitis, for example, a connection point between a high-side arm element portion(b3H) and a low-side arm element portion(b3L) that are connected in series in a first phase among first and second phases of two phases of the fourth full-bridge circuit. For example, the neutral point R3 is a connection point between a source of the high-side arm element portion(b3H) and a drain of the low-side arm element portion(b3L).

The second switchis, for example, a bidirectional switch formed of two switching elements. Each switching element is a transistor such as a MOSFET or an IGBT and is, for example, an N-channel type MOSFET. The second switchincludes, for example, two transistors connected reversely in series. For example, the sources of the two transistors are connected to each other, and thereby, the two transistors are connected in series in a direction opposite to each other. The second switchswitches conduction and cutoff of a current between the neutral points R2, R3 by ON (conduction)/OFF (cutoff) of the two transistors.

Each transistor may include a rectifier element such as a reflux diode which is connected in parallel between a collector and an emitter in a forward direction toward the collector from the emitter.

The second electric power conversion portionis connected to a β-phase first coil(β1) and a β-phase second coil(β2) of the rotary electric machinedescribed later. The β-phase first coilis connected between neutral points R1, R2 of the third full-bridge circuit. The β-phase second coil(β2) is connected between neutral points R3, R4 of the fourth full-bridge circuit. The neutral point R1 of the third full-bridge circuitis, for example, a connection point between a high-side arm element portion(b1H) and a low-side arm element portion(b1L) that are connected in series in the first phase of the third full-bridge circuit. For example, the neutral point R1 is a connection point between a source of the high-side arm element portion(b1H) and a drain of the low-side arm element portion(b1L). The neutral point R4 of the fourth full-bridge circuitis, for example, a connection point between a high-side arm element portion(b4H) and a low-side arm element portion(b4L) that are connected in series in the second phase of the fourth full-bridge circuit. For example, the neutral point R4 is a connection point between a source of the high-side arm element portion(b4H) and a drain of the low-side arm element portion(b4L).

The second electric power conversion portionincludes a third connection-disconnection deviceconnected between one end of the β-phase first coil(β1) and the third full-bridge circuitand a fourth connection-disconnection deviceconnected between one end of the β-phase second coil(β2) and the fourth full-bridge circuit

Each of the third connection-disconnection deviceand the fourth connection-disconnection deviceis, for example, a contactor. The third connection-disconnection deviceis connected, for example, between the one end of the β-phase first coil(β1) and the neutral point R1 of the first phase of the third full-bridge circuitand switches between ON (conduction) and OFF (cutoff) of the connection between the β-phase first coil(β1) and the neutral point R1. The fourth connection-disconnection deviceis connected, for example, between the one end of the β-phase second coil(β2) and the neutral point R4 of the second phase of the fourth full-bridge circuitand switches between ON (conduction) and OFF (cutoff) of the connection between the β-phase second coil(β2) and the neutral point R4.

The second electric power conversion portionincludes, for example, a capacitor (condenser)connected between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. For example, the capacitorsmooths voltage variation generated in accordance with a switching operation between ON (conduction) and OFF (cutoff) of each switching element of the second electric power conversion portion.

The second electric power conversion portionincludes, for example, a fourth current sensorarranged between the β-phase first coil(β1) and the neutral point R2 and a fifth current sensorarranged between the β-phase second coil(β2) and the neutral point R4.

For example, the fourth current sensordetects a current that flows through the β-phase first coil(β1). The fifth current sensordetects a current that flows through the β-phase second coil(β2).

The second electric power conversion portionincludes, for example, a fifth connection-disconnection devicethat is connected between the AC electric power source connection portiondescribed later and a connection point between the β-phase first coil(β1) and the third connection-disconnection device. The fifth connection-disconnection deviceis, for example, a contactor. The fifth connection-disconnection deviceswitches between ON (conduction) and OFF (cutoff) of the connection between the AC electric power source connection portionand the β-phase first coil(β1).